This invention relates to a controller. The invention has particular application to controlling the level of water in swimming pools and for the purpose of illustration reference will be made to such application. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to use with water nor with swimming pools and could have application to other liquids and other types of reservoirs.
It will be appreciated that the water level in swimming pools falls as a result of evaporation, splashing, and leakage and consequently they need replenishing from time to time. Typically, pool owners replenish the pools via a hose connected to the water main with the free end dropped directly into the pool. With this approach a watch must be kept on the water level or the pool can be overfilled, thereby wasting water and pool chemicals and causing pollution of waterways.
One controller which attempts to overcome this problem is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,038 to Gibbs. The controller described in the Gibbs patent has a metal plate which rests on the pool surround with a float valve secured to the plate and connected to the water main by a hose, the float being arranged to float on the surface of the pool and to shut off the flow of water into the pool as the level reaches a predetermined set height. The Gibbs controller requires the use of relatively heavy material for construction and appears not to be as stable as desired to ensure that the float valve operates effectively. Additionally, the arrangement is such that metal components are positioned above the pool and are therefore subject to the corrosive effects of chlorine evaporating from the pool. Moreover, it appears to be undesirably dangerous for persons using the pool particularly children while in operation.
Another controller which attempts to overcome the aforementioned problem is illustrated in GB Patent Application No. 2302162 by Johnson.
The Johnson controller has a float valve which is supported in a cage which hangs over the edge of a pool from a support base resting on the pool surround, the float valve being connected to the water mains by a hose. The support base is weighted by a heavy portable block to maintain the cage in place.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,022 to Busenga relies on ballast to secure a float valve in a desired position. The Busenga controller has a float valve which is secured to a fully enclosed container of ballast and connected to the water mains by a hose, the float being arranged to float on the surface of the pool and to shut off the flow of water into the pool as the level reaches a predetermined set height as with the Gibbs controller. One of the disadvantages of the Busenga controller is that it is undesirably heavy for transfer to and from a pool to a storage shed. Additionally, the fully enclosed container is made up of pipework and pipe fittings and thus is undesirably expensive.
Other controllers which are designed for maintaining the level of water in a swimming pool typically require a float valve to be mounted permanently or semi-permanently in the pool and thus are dangerous for swimmers.
The present invention is aimed at providing a portable controller which ameliorates the aforementioned problems or at least provides an attractive and useful alternative.
With the foregoing in view the present invention resides broadly in a portable controller for controlling the level of water in a swimming pool, including:
a container having a base and one or more side walls extending upwardly from said base and an outlet in or over at least one of said one or more side walls above said base for discharging water into the pool the level of which is to be controlled, said base and said one or more side walls at least in part defining a water storage chamber below said outlet sized to weight said water container so as to retain it in a predetermined position adjacent the pool when said chamber is full of water;
an on/off valve operatively mounted to said container for controlling flow of water into said water storage chamber, and
a float operatively connected to said on/off valve and adapted to float in the pool when said container is in the predetermined position for controlling the operation of the valve in response to the level of water in the pool.
In another aspect the invention resides broadly in a portable controller for controlling the level of water in a swimming pool, including:
a container adapted to rest in a predetermined position adjacent the pool in which the water level is to be controlled, said container having a base and one or more side walls extending upwardly from said base, an inlet in one of said one or more side walls for receiving water into the container and an outlet in or over at least one of said one or more side walls above said base for discharging water into the pool, said base and said one or more side walls at least in part defining a water storage chamber below said outlet sized to weight said container to retain it in a predetermined position adjacent the pool when said chamber is full of water;
an on/off valve in fluid communication with said inlet for controlling flow of water into said container, and
a float operatively connected to said on/off valve and adapted to float in the pool when said container is in the predetermined position for controlling the operation of the valve in response to the level of water in the pool.
Preferably, the container is so made and arranged that the water storage chamber may rest wholly or at least substantially on the pool surround when the controller is in the predetermined position controlling the level of water in the pool. Advantageously, such arrangement maximises the resistance of the weight of the water therein to the buoyancy forces on the float.
Preferably, a portion of said one or more side walls forms a weir over which water flowing into said storage chamber may flow to a discharge chute for discharge into the pool, said wall portion separating said water storage chamber from said discharge chute. It is also preferred that the remainder of said one or more side walls be contiguous and form a cover over said water storage chamber and said discharge chute with said valve being enclosed beneath said cover. Advantageously, in such form, the controller can be positioned with the weir adjacent the edge of the pool to be filled and the full weight of the water in the storage chamber is available to resist the buoyancy forces on the float. In such form it is also preferred that the float be arranged to operate as close as possible to the weir in order to decrease the lifting moment on the container from the float.
In another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a portable controller for controlling the level of liquid in a reservoir, including:
a container having a base and one or more side walls extending upwardly from said base and an outlet in one of said one or more side walls above said base for discharging liquid into the reservoir, said base and said one or more side walls at least in part defining a liquid storage chamber below said outlet sized to weight said water container so as to retain it in a predetermined position adjacent the reservoir when said chamber is full of liquid;
an on/off valve operatively mounted to said container for controlling flow of liquid into said liquid storage chamber, and
a float operatively connected to said on/off valve and adapted to float in the reservoir when said container is in the predetermined position for controlling the operation of the valve in response to the level of liquid in the reservoir.
In another aspect the invention resides broadly in a method of controlling the level of water in a swimming pool, including:
providing a portable controller including a container having a base and one or more side walls extending upwardly from said base and an outlet in one of said one or more side walls above said base, said base and said one or more side walls at least in part defining a water storage chamber below said outlet sized to weight said water container so as to retain it in a predetermined position adjacent the pool when said chamber is full of water, said controller having an on/off valve operatively mounted to said container for controlling flow of water into said water storage chamber, and a float operatively connected to said on/off valve and adapted to float in the pool when said container is in the predetermined position for controlling the operation of the valve in response to the level of water in the pool;
connecting a hose to said on/off valve, filling said water storage chamber and placing said controller in a predetermined location adjacent the pool with said outlet above the pool and said float in a position whereby it may move said on/off valve to the off position upon the water in the pool reaching a predetermined level.
In another aspect the present invention resides broadly in apparatus for controlling the level of liquid in a reservoir, including a container having an inlet adapted to be connected to a liquid supply conduit, an outlet adapted for discharge of liquid to the reservoir in which the level is to be controlled, a valve in fluid communication with said inlet for controlling flow of liquid through the inlet and a float for controlling the valve in response to the level of liquid in the reservoir.